


so open your eyes and see (the way our horizons meet)

by blackbeakk



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: College AU, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, One Shot, jily, oops they’re falling in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-25 02:50:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20018596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbeakk/pseuds/blackbeakk
Summary: lily evans is assigned to profile james potter for five daysshe hates him.he detests her.





	so open your eyes and see (the way our horizons meet)

**Author's Note:**

> hey follow me on tumblr @blackkbeak

_(prelude)_

**lily** . 

God I’m stupid. So, so, goddamn  _ stupid.  _ It’s as if I didn’t even think for one bloody second about this. I just fucking took the story, because it’s  _ Yale  _ and I need to impress the editor and not taking an open story certainly will not impress him. 

But now I’m going to have to see  _ him.  _ James fucking Potter, every day for the next week. 

Stupid, stupid, Evans. 

**james** . 

When coach told me I was going to be interviewed for the school paper, I thought he meant on behalf of the team. As team captain. 

Nope. Turns out, the people want a segment on James Potter, the person, not the athlete. Which would be alright, if I were being interviewed by an experienced and competent journalist. 

Instead, they sent a freshie, not even officially a  _ part  _ of the paper yet. Probably some girl who wants to use the opportunity to get some extra popularity points. 

Just one week. That’s all. Then I won’t have to deal with this Evans girl ever again. 

_(day one)_

**lily. **

He’s late. First day of following this guy and he’s late. Meanwhile I, on the other hand, woke up at the asscrack of dawn to get all my shit done and get here on time (early, in fact) and look presentable and - 

He’s here. 

God, I hate to admit it, but he’s  _ fit.  _ His hair, and the glasses, and -

Stop it Lily. You will not be one of  _ those  _ girls who spend their free time drooling over James Potter, of all people. 

He squints at me. “Are you Lily?” 

**james. **

I’m late. Like, a good half hour late. I know, not a good first impression, but if we’re being fair, it’s basically Sirius’s fault, since he’s the one who made us stay up so late last night watching Netflix. 

She texted and said to meet at Phil’s Coffee, right off campus. I don’t even know why I’m worried about impressions, she’s just a freshman, and she can’t exactly write her article about me being a little late, right? I mean that would just be petty and - 

She’s here. I can almost hear Sirius whistling at her in my mind. Her hair is like fire, all red and bright, and her lips are so - 

James. Stop. It’s not happening. I take a breath and approach. 

“Are you Lily?”

“You’re late.” 

_(interlude #1)_

lily hated him. she had never hated somebody with the burning passion that she hated him. he was arrogant and rude (and late!) and just  _ ugh.  _

marlene and alice told her to snog him. (oh come on, he’s fit, you’re both single, god knows you’re obsessed with him!) 

james  _ detested  _ her with the same fire and conviction that she did him, if not more. she was all smart, and righteous, and condescending and he hated her. 

sirius and remus told him to ask her out. ( you clearly fancy her, you haven’t shut up about her for the past hour!) 

_(day 2)_

**lily. **

I have never met such a pompous, self-centered, asshole in my entire life. He thinks everything is about him, and that everybody is in love with him. Like yesterday, when the server smiled at him, he made a joke about giving her his number! Hello, there’s something called customer service, usually you smile at people. 

I’m headed to the field to watch him train and when I get there, he’s running laps around the perimeter. Shirtless. 

Teenage girl Lily is very very happy about that because  _ god  _ have you seen the guy? Its like he was literally carved out from some sort of flesh stone. 

The rest of Lily - the sensible parts - wants him to put a bloody shirt on, its not like its hot enough to justify it, other than wanting to show off some muscle. 

He sees me sit down on the bleachers and jogs over quickly. “Hey,” he says. How is he not out of breath? 

I tap my pen against my notebook, “hi.”

Silence, for a moment. 

He clears his throat, “so, uhm, I’m mainly doing cardio training today, so lots of running and some agility drills, nothing too interesting.”

He runs a hand haphazardly through his hair, and I hate to admit it, but that’s kind of hot. 

Shut up teenage girl Lily. “okay, sounds good.” 

**james.**

God, I am not looking forward to today. Lily Evans is by far the most pretentious, condescending, stuffy,  _ insufferable _ person I have ever had the displeasure of working with in my entire life. She wouldn’t stop judging me for a single minute of the time we spent together, from the moment I stepped into the cafe to the second we paid the bill. 

Honestly, its no wonder her and Remus get on so well, he’s probably the only person who can stand her. 

I’m thinking all of this as I run my third lap around the track. Lily should be here soon, she said 9 am. Aaaand there she is. I could spot her red hair from a mile away. Today its up in a bun, a pair of glasses on top of her head. Huh. I didn’t know she wore glasses. They look quite good, I have to say. 

I jog over to her, and she’s already giving me a judgy look. Oh. I forgot to bring a shirt. Which means I’m currently half naked. And she thinks I’m showing off or something. Lovely. 

I tell her what my plan is for the morning, and run a hand through my hair. I think I see her eyes flick up for a moment to follow the movement, but it’s over as soon as it happened. 

God, this is going to be an awkward five days. 

_(Day three)_

**lily. **

Yesterday was, for lack of a better word, interesting. First of all, that boy can  _ run.  _ I mean, I knew soccer was an endurance sport, but god _ damn _ . I got tired just watching him go through his training. 

(here’s the interesting part) 

After he finished, he asked me if I wanted to go and grab a bite. And we went! And he wasn’t a complete asshat! And I was actually civil! And, I might even say that I’m not completely dreading meeting up with him today. 

We met at the same cafe as the first day, and this time he’s actually on time. Today’s a profile day - boring, basic questions to get to know him as a person, not an athlete (stupid, I know). 

I ask about his family. 

“It’s just my mum and dad, no siblings. Unless you count Sirius,” he considers this for a second. “Do you have any siblings?”

“An older sister. She’s a bitch though. And not the lovable kind.” 

He laughs at that, and I join in. 

Who would’ve thought - James Potter and Lily Evans sitting, talking,  _ laughing.  _ His whole face lights up when he laughs, like there’s too much of it to not spill over. 

It’s kind of cute. Not that I’m looking at him like  _ that _ . We’re friends, at best. Nothing else. 

Definitely nothing else. 

**james. **

Maybe she’s not so bad. I mean, we’re not going to be sharing an apartment anytime soon, but we had lunch together yesterday and didn’t spend the whole time snapping at each other. I still think she’s pretentious, and I’m sure she still thinks I’m an arrogant douche, but we’re making progress. 

We meet today at the same cafe we first met. I order a pumpkin spice latte , she laughs at me and orders a macchiato (one extra shot of espresso). And then the questions start. 

I tell her about my family, ask about hers. Turns out she has a shitty older sister. Her and Sirius can start a club. 

At some point it stops being an interview and starts being just two people having a conversation. 

And she laughs. And god, it’s a nice sound. It’s like if you put some stars in a bottle and shook it up, that’s how Lily Evans’ laugh sounds. 

She asks, “why’d you start playing soccer?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I’ve been playing forever, like, since I could walk,” she raises an eyebrow, sceptical. “I’m serious!” I defend myself, pulling out my phone. “Here, look, I’ve got a picture of me in my first jersey. I don’t even think it counts as playing, just a bunch of toddlers tripping over themselves.”

She laughs again. Holy shit I love her laugh. I want to record it and play it over and over until I get sick of it. 

In a totally platonic way, of course. We’re just friends. Just friends. 

_(Day four)_

**lily. **

I have a problem. A crisis, actually. Last night, James walked me home (first problem, he’s a gentleman, completely messing up my perception of him as a douchey, self-centered asshole) and afterwards I actually was thinking about him. To the point where I talked to Alice and Marlene about him and  _ didn’t  _ completely slander his name. 

In short, I have a crush of James Potter. God, that sounds juvenile. A  _ crush _ . There needs to be a better word for that (infatuation?). Anyway, that won’t do. I cannot have a crush, be infatuated, falling for,  _ whatever _ , with James Potter. It just can’t happen. Especially since there is about a -200% chance that there is any sort of reciprocation going on. 

So how do I plan to stop this crushing that seems to be going on? Simple. Today, and tomorrow, and any other day I see him, I am strictly professional. No laughing, jokes, opening up about shitty sisters, no walking home together or grabbing lunch. Just sit down, write my article, and leave. 

When I arrive at our meeting place, he’s already there. All smiley with his messy hair and his crooked glasses  _ and ugh.  _ Who gave him the right to look like that? It should be illegal. He goes in for a hug, but I stop him, holding out a hand to shake. 

Strictly professional. 

**james. **

It seems as though I am crushing on Lily Evans. 

Exhibit A: I walked her home yesterday after lunch and I can’t stop thinking about the split second that our hands brushed. 

Exhibit B: Her hair smells like coconuts and I have never in my life noticed what a persons hair smells like (except Sirius, his hair smells phenomenal). 

Exhibit C: I am unbearably excited to see her tomorrow. 

I am definitely crushing on Lily Evans. I love that word.  _ Crushing _ . I mean. It’s so light and easy and full of potential of what could be. I should write a thank you note to whoever coined the word. So. What am I going to do about it? Well, Sirius thinks I should do some huge romantic gesture, Remus thinks I should wait until I know how she feels, and I, frankly, have no goddamn clue what I’m going to do. 

Okay, okay. Relax James. Formulate a plan. 

Step 1: be extra charming tomorrow, drop hints that I like her and, by extension, find out if she likes me. 

Step 2: ask her out. 

Step 3: take her on the most mind blowing first date ever. 

I step into the bookstore the next day confident. There’s no way this is one-sided, right? Ahh there she is. God, she looks good today. I think I’m gonna have a thing for red hair for the rest of my life, just because of her. Her hair is in a high ponytail today, it looks more … formal. 

I smile widely at her and go in for the hug (and here’s where it goes horribly wrong) and she stops me and reaches out a hand to shake instead. 

She  _ shook my hand.  _

_(interlude #2)_

her plan failed miserably. lily still liked him. a lot. and maybe,  _ maybe,  _ he liked her a little bit as well. he was the one who went in for the hug, after all. 

she decides that tomorrow, she was going to kiss him - professionalisms be damned. after all, what was the worst that could happen? after tomorrow they may never see each other again, right? 

his plan failed horribly. she didn’t like him, not even a little bit, and now he’s gone and embarrassed himself (though maybe she didn’t notice how disappointed he was, right?)

he decides that tomorrow, he was going to tell her how he felt - no plan. after all, what was the worst that could happen? if she rejects him, he might never see her again, right? 

_(Day five)_

**lily. **

Okay, this is it. I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna kiss James Potter. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, it’s not like it’s my first kiss - it certainly isn’t his. 

We’re meeting on the field again. He’s there when I walk on, sitting on a bleacher, leg bouncing wildly. 

I sit. 

“I have to tell you something,” he says. “And there’s a good chance it’s going to make the rest of the day very, very awkward, but I have to tell you. Don’t freak out ok?” I nod. “I like you.” 

Oh my. 

“A lot. Like, it’s kinda scary considering I’ve only known you for four days, and I hated you for the first two.” He laughs a little, and does that thing with his hair. (I love when he does that thing with his hair). “I don’t even know exactly what I like about you, I jist know that I really really want to take you out on a date and I really really  _ really  _ want you to say yes.” Deep breath. “Okay. I’m done now.” 

I don’t know what to say, so I don’t say anything. I’m frozen, literally frozen. 

“Evans?” He asked. “God, no,” he drags his hands down his face, “say something please even if it’s to tell me you don’t give a single shit about me just -

He doesn’t finish. He doesn’t finish, because I kiss him. 

**james. **

She’s not answering. She’s not saying anything. She’s just staring at me and I look like a dumbass and  _ oh _ . 

She’s kissing me. 

And I almost forget to kiss her back. 

Almost. 

And then it’s (and this is not an exaggeration) the best goddamn kiss of my life. Her arms are around my neck and mine are around her waist my fingers brush against that small strip of skin above her hips and  _ wow her skin is really soft and I never want to stop touching her.  _

And then I need to breathe so I pull away from her lips and kiss the corner of her mouth, and then the other corner, peppering little kisses all over her face. And when I make my way to her jaw and neck she makes a little noise and it’s the second best fucking thing I’ve ever heard in my life (the first is her laugh). 

She pulls away from me, breathless and laughing a little. I rest my forehead against hers, and we stay like that for a little while, just staring and smiling at each other like a bunch of goofy high schoolers. 

And then, “that was fucking amazing, but I still have a few questions we’ve got to get through,”

I groan, pulling her closer to me, nuzzling my fave in her neck. “Later, that shit can wait.” 

She pushes my chest to put some space between us. “And what do you suggest we do instead, Mr. Potter?”

I pull her back against me, cheats pressed together. “I’ve got a few ideas.” 

_(Interlude #3 - one year later)_

lily loved him. she had never loved somebody with the burning passion that she loved him. he was selfless and kind (and gorgeous !) and just  _ ugh.  _

marlene and alice told her to marry him. (oh come on, he’s perfect , you’re soulmates , god knows you’ll end up together!) 

james  _ adored  _ her with the same fire and conviction that she did him, if not more. she was all smart, and righteous, and funny and he loved her. 

sirius and remus told him to propose. (you’re meant for her, she basically lives here with us, who cares you’re only 21?) 

_(Epilogue)_

**lily. **

James is scaring me. He told me to meet him here, at the place where we first met, Phil’s Coffee for fucks sake, and he won’t tell me why. 

He might break up with me (he won’t) 

He might be terminally ill (he isn’t) 

He might  _ propose  _ (not yet) 

And, to make matters worse, he’s late. 

**james. **

I’m late. Lily’s waiting for me at Phil’s, and I’m about to ask her the biggest question of our relationship to date, and I’m late. 

I pat my pocket to make sure I haven’t forgotten it. (I haven’t) 

What if she says no? (She won’t) 

What if she’s mad at me? (She isn’t)

Deep breaths, Potter. 

I walk into Phil’s, there she is, all gorgeous. 

I sit down. She asks what I’m being so mysterious about. 

I pull the box out of my pocket and she gasps. 

“Lily, will you -

“I can’t.” She says, eyes wide, “I love you, so so much, but I can’t get  _ married _ , I’m only 20 for fucks sake, I have to graduate, and find a job, and - 

I’m laughing. She stops talking, confused. I try again. Open the box. “Lily, will you move in with me?” 

**(she said yes) **

_( Fin. )_

  
  
  
  



End file.
